Danny Gokey Ties the Knot Again Three Years After First Wife's Tragic Death

January 30, 2012 (4:01 am) GMT

The 'American Idol' alum has exchanged wedding vows with Leyicet Peralta in a small ceremony, attended by 100 of their family and friends, in Florida on Sunday, January 29.

Danny Gokey has once again become a married man. The singer, who finished third on season 8 of "American Idol", wed his fiancee, model Leyicet Peralta, in a small ceremony in Florida on Sunday, January 29. The pair exchanged their vows before 100 of their family and friends, PEOPLE reported.

Expressing their joy, the newlyweds said in a statement, "We are so thankful to have found each other and now be able to spend the rest of our lives together. We pray our gratitude grows more every day because there is so much for us to do now." About the wedding itself, they said that its theme was "romance and love."

Gokey's wedding came three years after he lost his first wife Sophia who died after undergoing a routine surgery for congenital heart disease in 2008. In exchange of gifts, he and his new wife Peralta asked guests to make a donation to Sophia's Heart, the children's charity founded by Gokey to honor his late wife.

31-year-old Gokey and 25-year-old Peralta announced their engagement on the Sophia's Heart website back in December 2011. "[Gokey] is thrilled to have found [Peralta] who also shares his passion and desire to help children and families in need," a message on the site regarding the engagement read.